Surviving the Apocalypse with the Young Miss - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Sharing a Pillow

Song Ge quickly fell into an exhausted sleep.

However, her rest was brief; she woke up after barely twenty minutes. Upon opening her eyes, she saw the unfamiliar ceiling light, the unfamiliar bright light streaming through the window, and the unfamiliar, spacious bed beneath her. Then there was the unfamiliar soft weight in her arms and on her body…

Wait.

Song Ge went stiff, like an old machine that hadn’t been oiled in years. She turned her head inch by inch and saw a person curled into the crook of her arm. Tong Xiangyu was fast asleep, the tear tracks on her face not yet completely dry.

This Young Mistress was pampered and naturally beautiful. Unfortunately, after making do in that dark, cramped basement for nearly half a month, she looked a bit “wilted.” Though her skin was still tender enough to break at a touch and her lashes were thick and long, her once-perfect oval face now had a slightly pointed chin, and the corners of her mouth weren’t tilted up in a smile as they used to be, but were instead pressed thin or slightly pouted in discontent.

She was still wearing the fifty-yuan tracksuit from the night market. However, her sleeping posture was as unrestrained and reckless as ever.

Originally, Tong Xiangyu had only intended to lie down on the edge of the bed for a moment. After applying the medicine for Song Ge, she had felt a mix of shock and terror, leaving her mentally and physically drained. She just wanted to rest for a bit.

There was only one bed in the room. It was very large, more than enough for two people. Tong Xiangyu, afraid of bumping Song Ge’s injured hand, had specifically slept on the very edge.

She had no idea that once asleep, she would instinctively seek out a scent that made her feel safe. Little by little, she had unconsciously drifted toward Song Ge. Once she reached her, she fell into a deep, heavy slumber.

In her dreams, she had slung an arm across Song Ge’s chest in a loose embrace and hooked a leg over Song Ge’s thigh. By the time she had adjusted to this most free and relaxed posture, it was no longer a matter of “resting for a bit”…

Song Ge was awake, but she didn’t get up. She stayed frozen and motionless, allowing the person beside her to keep clutching her in sleep. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly.

She wondered: Was this gold-and-jade Young Mistress “marinated” in something? Why did she always smell so good?

She also thought: Half a month ago, even if someone had beaten her to death, she wouldn’t have believed that this daughter of a wealthy family the center of attention wherever she went—would one day be sleeping in her arms. Their lives shouldn’t have even crossed paths…

After a period of wandering thoughts, Song Ge turned her head to look at the large window. Outside was a dead silence. This city was once prosperous, thriving, and noisy one of the most economically developed provincial capitals in the country. Since the monster virus outbreak, it had become a total isolated island.

An abandoned island.

Recalling how she had escaped the swarm of monsters alone, Song Ge hadn’t had time to be afraid then, but now a lingering fear crept in. It really felt like a dream.

The last time Song Ge had felt this way was eight years ago. Back then, she had waited at home from day to night, then to day again. The phone calls she made were always busy or went unanswered. Finally, when the doorbell rang, she didn’t even put on shoes before rushing to open the door. She thought: Did Mom leave in too much of a hurry and forget her keys?

But when she opened the door, she saw her parents’ colleagues. They were in uniform, their eyes red. Two people held a black box, two held an enlarged photograph, and others held ceremonial clothing.

The highest-ranking officer from the station knelt in front of her and said, “Little girl, is your name Song Ge? I’m sorry our first meeting is under these circumstances. Your father and mother… Uncle has brought them back for you.”

Song Ge finally got up. Luckily, she didn’t wake the Young Mistress.

She looked at her wrist. The wound had been treated and covered with a Band-Aid. Though it was just an ordinary Band-Aid, it looked strangely delicate on her as if she had suffered some catastrophic injury.

Ignoring it, she scanned the room carefully, then walked to the window and hopped up onto the sill. Her wrist throbbed with a bit of pain when she used it for leverage. Squatting on the windowsill, she studied the terrain outside.

It was a small backyard garden with a swimming pool. After days of scorching sun and no running water, the plants were mostly withered. The once-blue water in the pool was down to a muddy puddle at the bottom, littered with dead leaves and branches. The backyard wall wasn’t high, but the top was embedded with sharp shards of colorful glass to deter thieves. There was a gate.

She didn’t know where the back gate led… If an emergency happened and they needed to flee, looking at just this wasn’t enough. Song Ge needed a layout of the entire building and the surrounding area.

Tong Xiangyu had been sleeping for over three hours and was still out. Song Ge didn’t wake her, planning to wait until the old lady called them for dinner. If the old woman forgot them, they would just eat biscuits and dried meat—plus, she had brought the chicken drumsticks.

But before Granny Tian could call, Tong Xiangyu woke up from a nightmare with a start. Her sharp cry was jarring in the quiet room. Song Ge jumped and turned around.

Tong Xiangyu sat up, drenched in sweat, looking for her. “Song Ge, Song Ge!” Her gaze was unfocused as she looked around the room anxiously.

Song Ge watched as Tong Xiangyu’s gaze landed on her, then moved past as if she hadn’t seen her.

“I’m here,” Song Ge said. “Are you doing that on purpose?”

Tong Xiangyu looked toward the direction of the voice. She didn’t say if it was on purpose; she only asked, “Song Ge, why didn’t you light a candle?”

Song Ge froze. She immediately dropped her relaxed posture and strode over. She waved a hand in front of Tong Xiangyu’s face. Seeing no reaction from her pupils, she frowned. “Can you not see?”

“I can,” Tong Xiangyu squinted, trying to recognize things. “But I can only see a little…”

Song Ge felt a wave of relief. “That’s fine then. It’s just an aftereffect of the intense light. Rest for a few days and it’ll be okay. But you can’t go around crying at the drop of a hat, do you hear me?”

Tong Xiangyu: “You’re the one who cries at the drop of a hat.”

“You just had a nightmare, didn’t you?” Song Ge saw the pale, sweaty face of the girl who was still trying to be stubborn. “What did you dream about? Looking for me the second you wake up.”

Tong Xiangyu: “I certainly didn’t dream about you!”

“Good,” Song Ge said. “Dreaming about me in a nightmare wouldn’t be a good sign.”

Tong Xiangyu suddenly fell silent.

At that moment, there were three knocks on the door. Song Ge walked over and opened it to find the grandmother who had saved them. The old lady seemed to have done many good deeds in her life; her smile was kind and very welcoming. “Little girl, did you rest well? It’s time to eat.”

“Thank you,” Song Ge said. “My friend is still resting. I’ll go upstairs to eat. I’ll see if it’s convenient to bring some down for her later.”

“Of course. Very convenient,” the grandmother said.

“Then wait a moment, Granny. I’ll be right there after using the bathroom.”

“Alright.”

Song Ge closed the door but didn’t go to the bathroom. She walked back to Tong Xiangyu. “How much can you see right now?” she whispered.

Tong Xiangyu squinted and leaned in very close to Song Ge. “If I’m like this, I can see. Your eyes, nose, and mouth.”

She sat back up and opened her eyes normally. “From here, it’s very blurry. Everything is hazy.”

Song Ge: “…” She was too close just now; we almost bumped faces.

Regaining her composure, Song Ge whispered her instructions: “After I leave, lock the door. When I come back, I’ll knock five times. Then you open it. If it’s not five knocks, don’t open.”

“What if I forget how to count?”

Tong Xiangyu suggested excitedly, “How about we use a Morse code? Knock the pinyin of your name, ‘Song Ge’! Or just ‘Ge’!”

Song Ge: “…I don’t know how. Just five knocks.”

“Oh…”

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